


Zen and the Art of Pegasus Wrangling

by Rhoda_Writes



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, F/F, Fluff, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:28:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23327767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhoda_Writes/pseuds/Rhoda_Writes
Summary: I couldn't stop wondering how and where the Valkyrie got that Pegasus, so I made something up. My answer: with a little help from a friend. This is a short, fluffy, between-the-scenes one shot that takes place in the five year time skip at the beginning of Endgame.Beta'd by MindYourMind and Stormkpr - thank you!
Relationships: Brunnhilde | Valkyrie/Carol Danvers
Comments: 10
Kudos: 35





	Zen and the Art of Pegasus Wrangling

The thing about New Asgard's still very new king being holed up in his house at all hours was . . . well, it didn't affect New Asgard much at all, actually. Brunnhilde had unofficially taken over most of the less glamorous duties of their nascent ruler already: greeting visitors, answering messages from other worlds in need of aid after Thanos's attack, fielding questions from the residents, and generally keeping the place running.

At first, Thor's absence was chalked up as a temporary thing, an inconvenient but understandable reaction to the trauma he'd been through. Then it kept going. And it got worse. And it eventually became business as usual.

Not that Hilde blamed him. She'd logged enough hours drowning her own sorrows not to pass judgment. She wished he'd at least talk to her. Still, it wasn't easy explaining it away to everyone else. It was a good thing the New Asgardians saw her as a capable leader in her own right, or there might've been even more questions.

Carol Danvers didn't ask questions. Not the bothersome kind. Hilde didn't know what to make of her at first, with her tight, sharp jaw and her piercing eyes. Carol was all business.

"I'm making runs for planets that need iron works. What have you got?" she said.

Or, "The Skrulls are asking about trading in, um, the translator says 'jeweled fish?' Is that a thing?"

And sometimes, "Had to make a pit stop in Knowhere, sorry for the smell. Is this brain juice actually worth anything?"

Hilde appreciated her efficiency. And the company. And the distraction. So much that she eventually asked Carol to call her "Hilde."

This time, they met to talk on the pier after Hilde finished tallying up the afternoon haul from the fishing boats. They sat side by side, feet hanging off the edge, just a smidge too high for their toes to touch the water.

"We should be able to send out emissaries ourselves in another week," said Hilde. "I've got a few people picked out, learning the most common languages of the nine realms, doing some test flights on the ground here. You won't have to do so much work yourself, after that."

Carol, always inscrutable, tightened her mouth for half a second at that. "I don't mind it," she said. "Really. It keeps me busy."

"What's it like out there?" asked Hilde. "In the other realms?"

"About the same. People are . . . coping. Some better than others." She glanced briefly in the direction of Thor's cabin. "How is he?"

Hilde sighed. "Coping. More or less. I guess we all have our ghosts, don't we?" She slapped her thighs and stood up again, scooping up her shoes from behind her. "So, picking up anything this time, or just dropping off?"

"Nothing's on my list," said Carol. "Unless there's something you need."

"Not really. All things considered, we're doing okay. Better than most, really."

Carol looked at her. "I meant you. Is there anything _you_ need?"

Hilde raised her eyebrows. "Like what?"

"I don't know. You knew old Asgard better than me. I know it's gone, but you traded all the time with other worlds before that. I can't make any promises, but is there anything you miss?"

Hilde was about to answer in the negative again. She'd barely spared a thought for herself since leaving Sakaar. She didn't miss that trash heap at all. And Asgard was a fading memory she would've banished by now altogether without Loki's interference.

Then a breeze drifted over the water, tugging at her curls and sending the smell of the sea over the pier.

"Flying," she said finally. "In the old days, the Valkyrie had winged horses we rode into battle. Mine was called Grane. I raised him from a colt. And one day. . ." She couldn't finished. Couldn't face that particular memory again. "I'm sure they're all gone now. But I miss flying."

Carol nodded, studying her face. "I'll see what I can do."

#

It was two weeks before Carol Danvers stopped by again. The ale runners were just getting back from a delivery to their closest neighborhoods, and Hilde was double-checking the inventory to make sure nothing was unaccounted for. Thor didn't like it when the ale went missing. Not that he even checked anymore.

A familiar crackling sound, accompanied by the smell of ozone and a flash of brilliant light, brought a smile to Hilde's face. She was back. She handed her clipboard back to the dock master and instructed him to carry on, then headed for the field where she'd seen the light in the sky.

A speck of something appeared overhead against the clouds. Hilde squinted, shading her eyes with her hand. As the figure came closer, it looked different. She was sure it was Carol, but not just Carol. Something bigger. With an enormous wingspan.

Hilde gasped. "You didn't," she murmured. "How in all the realms. . .?"

By the time Carol landed, a small crowd had gathered, chattering among themselves in wonder and disbelief. Only a handful were old enough to remember the Pegasus army of old, but they had all heard the stories. And now, here was one of the legendary beasts, in the flesh. The creature was magnificent: a glossy white coat, silvery gray mane and tail, and wings that buffeted the air and sent a warm breeze over the crowd.

Hilde reached them first, as Carol was dismounting and stroking the animal's neck. She smirked when she saw Hilde.

"There's a herd on a tiny settlement near Vanaheim," she said, before Hilde could ask. "Just farmers and shepherds. This one came right over to me. His name is Arion--"

Hilde barely let her finish. She clutched Carol's face in both hands and kissed her.

_Oh._

She hadn't meant to do that. At least, she hadn't expected it. But Carol leaned into her, and slid a gloved hand behind her neck. When they parted, Carol came away smiling. Hilde thought that was the first time she'd seen her smile.

"So, you're happy then?" asked Carol.

Hilde nodded. Her heart was so full it almost hurt. "How did you do this?"

Carol only shrugged and said, "You said you missed flying."

Hilde laughed and kissed her again.

The Pegasus wasn't all Carol had brought back with her, and after unloading and tallying all the traded goods from this last run, Hilde finally had a chance to mount the creature herself. The scent of animal musk filled her nose, sending her reeling through memories: training on her first grounded horse, the first time she flew, flying into battle for the first time. She settled into place behind the wing joints and reached forward to stroke its neck.

"Arion, was it?" she asked.

The Pegasus answered with a toss of its shining mane. But before coaxing it to speed, Hilde glanced down at Carol.

"Don't head off straight away, okay?" she said.

Carol nodded. "I'll be here."

Her words sent a wave of warmth through Hilde, which she decided not to fight. Not this time. With that, she urged Arion into a trot, then a cantor. Then finally, she leaned down and said, "All right, let's hit the sky!"

The great wings expanded around her, and with a single, powerful flap, they left the ground behind. Everything came back to Hilde on instinct. She wound her hands into the mane to hang on, leaning forward to counterbalance the momentum as they climbed upward, and tightened her knees behind the animal's shoulders.

New Asgard shrank below them, the people growing smaller as they circled and cheered at the sight, the fishing boats becoming toy-like in the distance. Even Thor, nearly always sequestered away, had opened his door to see what was causing the commotion. His bellowing laugh echoed up from the ground, and he waved as they flew by overhead.

For the first time, Hilde felt like they might not merely survive in this uncertain new future, but thrive, and prosper. For the first time, New Asgard finally felt like home. And even though they both had other duties, and would be called away from time to time, Hilde knew Carol would always come back.

~~@~~~


End file.
